| Okay, November 2006, I visited Japan again with my fiend (yes, he's still a fiend) and of course like any tourist pictures were taken. All pictures this year were taken using my Canon Powershot A430. It's a 4mp camera. Yeah, I got too lazy to use 2 different cameras and switch the SD cards or have 2 different ones for the files. This year, we only stayed around the Yokohama/Tokyo area. We didn't have time to go to Kyoto/Osaka area but we did manage to make our way down to Kamakura/Hase area to visit the "Dai-Butsu" (Big Buddha) Like always, double-click on the small picture to enlarge. |
| Jack's Trip: Japan 2006 |
| Like last year, I booked myself into the Yokohama Sheraton. That's me with the hotel behind me. The picture was taken from outside the Yokohama JR Station. Also, me, next to the Excel Hotel sign. |
| Yokohama |
| Akihabara |
| A trip to Japan is never complete without at least passing by Akihabara to check out the latest and greates in electronics, especially those that won't ever get to the U.S. |
| Meiji Shrine |
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| The view from the room window. Looking across to the JR Yokohama Station. Next to the Station is the Excel Hotel Tokyu. Sorry, no Hyatt or Palazzo Hotels in the area. |
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| Me, next to Colonel Sanders...he's all dressed up as Santa Claus. Notice that in honor of Akihabara and all the Anime Otakus around, I wore my "Air" shirt. Yup, the one based on the "Gao...Gao..Stegasaurus" that the character Yukito wore. |
| Street view. The vertical shot also includes the building (the one with the railing on top) where part of "Densha Otoko" was filmed. The main character tried to throw himself off the top in his depression. |
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| Yeah, I've been to the Meiji Shrine before. We didn't really stay long since my friend was not feeling well. Anyways, here's some of the sight at the Shrine. That day seemed busy there. I'm not sure what was happening but it looks like some Right-wing Marchers were around and there was a wedding going on. |
| Kamakura/Hase: Dai-Butsu and Kannon Temple |
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| In Kamakura, at the town of Hase, the Big Buddha sits. You know that statue was cast in 1252 and used to be inside some kind of a temple.The temple got washed away by a tsunami in 1498 and so it has been sitting outside since then. Compare that to the fact that Columbus landed in the New World in 1992. Oh yeah, one of the picture has the Buddha's sandals. |
| Also in the town of Hase, the Great Kannon Temple is. It's a place where a wood sculpture of the "Goddess of Mercy" resides. For me though, the interesting thing there is the Jizo for the Savior of Children. It's the statue with the bib and bonnet and surround by little figures. The shrine is where people pray and burn incense for children who died form miscarriage or abortion (at least that's what I was told). |
| Odaiba Area |
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| Odaiba area has quite a lot to see. It has the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, the Big Ferris Wheel next to the Toyota Showroom, the Fuji TV Building with its observation sphere and it also has the miniature Statue of Liberty plus a view of the Tokyo Rainbow Bridge. |